Murphy, 60, spent more than two decades as an executive at Wall Street investment banking firm Goldman Sachs.

(Coincidentally, he'll be the first Democrat to serve as New Jersey governor since Jon Corzine, another former Goldman Sachs executive whom Christie defeated in 2009 — a fact not lost on Murphy's critics.)

Murphy was also a Democratic donor to candidates across the country. He served as finance chair of the Democratic National Committee in the mid-2000s. And in 2009, then-President Barack Obama appointed him ambassador to Germany — a position he held until 2013.

He has never held elected office before Tuesday, when he will assume what is arguably the most powerful governorship in America, with the ability to appoint significant positions like state attorney general and to line-item veto the state's $35 billion budget.

New Jersey Governors Race

Photo by Julio Cortez | The Associated Press

2. He beat five other Democrats and Christie's lieutenant governor to get here.

Despite his deep ties to the national Democratic party, Murphy was relatively unknown to New Jerseyans when he entered the race.

But after gathering much-coveted endorsements from county parties, he went on to easily win the Democratic nomination over five opponents — including two veteran state lawmakers — in June's primary.

Murphy then soundly defeated his Republican opponent, Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno, in November's general election to succeed Christie, who is leaving office with the lowest approval ratings for any governor in state history.

Despite Christie's low numbers, it was a race marked by apathy among voters, with polls showing many didn't know much about either Murphy or Guadagno. Turnout was 38.5 percent — a record-low for a New Jersey's governor's race.